Into Thin Air Analysis

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As one could imagine, literature can be connected into the real world in any way, whether it be from simple concepts to theories that affect the very human existence on earth. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer both address nature and its relation to mankind. The two novels each follow a man on a single journey through nature. Both Hemingway and Krakauer discern nature as an entity that can fight back against humanity in their literature. They try and prove that nature and humanity co-exist but they are not fully akin. Despite these similarities, Hemingway goes more into the relationship of humans and nature by his personification of the natural world, whereas Krakauer recognizes it on the surface…show more content…
The same can be said about the intent of humanity, which is why they clash in power. In particular, Santiago from Old Man and the Sea is a poor fisherman who is determined to catch anything. Near the end of his journey, he loses all he had caught on the entire expedition, which is why some may deem him unlucky. From a moral standpoint, “His losses include economic sustenance, a chance at glory, and implicitly, a form of redemption” (Stephens, 89). The failure resulted in no food to sell and an unachieved goal, all because sharks ate the one marlin Santiago caught. Not only is he embarrassed for himself because he flopped at the performance of his only talent, Santiago also has an awakening to the fact that he will never be as strong as he once was. Similarly, Jon from Into Thin Air was setback due to nature when he was climbing Mount Everest. One of his climbing partners warns him, “‘Every minute you remain at this altitude and above,’ he cautioned, ‘Your minds and bodies are deteriorating’" (Krakauer, 197). The reason Krakauer wanted to climb one of the tallest mountains in the world was to feel on top of it, to see above all and be able to experience life from a distance. But, it is not so simple for one to rise above nature without a price. Nature refuses to be manhandled because it does not want humans to be superior and vice versa, it sees us as…show more content…
In The Old Man and the Sea are not meant to fight one another, but to peacefully coincide. Santiago familiarizes with the ocean he is sailing in as he tries to catch fish and make reason with why his hand is cramped, “There are three things that are brothers: the fish and my two hands” (Hemingway, 64). He identifies himself and the creatures as relatives that work together to achieve one goal. Santiago embraces the connection between himself and nature, allowing him to respect every living creature as he respects himself. Opposingly, the other book mentions nature and humans co-existing but in a brutal way. Namely, once Krakauer and the rest of the Sherpas finally reach the top of the summit, Jon finds himself completely unsatisfied, “If there is a more desolate, inhospitable habitation anywhere on the planet, I hope never to see it” (Krakauer). By never wanting to return, he makes it clear that his experience with nature was unpleasant. Yet it is evident that man and nature can co-exist on earth while being separate actualities. Even when the two forms of life can be depicted as distinct throughout both novels, one book represents them differently than the

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